Hello everyone, it's been a very long time hasn't it? I imagine you're all wondering where chapter 14 has been all these months, so I'll just cut straight to the chase. No, unfortunately the latest chapter isn't ready yet and won't be for quite some time. Please don't ask when it will be finished as I currently have no idea.
There's been multiple reasons why this chapter has been taking so long. Last semester was a busy one for me, as I was learning more about animating in Maya and beginning to learn about Unity and during the recent holidays I suffered a family tragedy and caught COVID. Both of which I am still recovering from. Again, I apologize for this chapter taking so long and that it still requires more time to finish. To try to make up for it here's a little teaser of what I've done so far. I know it's not much compared to the last one but out of everything I've done so far this seemed like the best part of it to show to you all.
I hope you all enjoy it and have had a wonderful happy holidays.
Konoha Streets
All the villagers were staring at them as they left the Hokage tower. Gawking like the insignificant worms they are. However, unlike the looks of hatred and apathy Uzumaki received, the dark lord only drew looks of fear as he and his personal squad walked through the streets.
It greatly annoyed him even though they now knew their place.
Although, he doubted that the Hokage has not told them specifically what would happen if they didn't cooperate, he could tell that their cowardly fear of him and the Kyuubi were enough to keep them in line for now. Let them be ignorant for the time being of the punishment that awaits them should they uprise or their shinobi fail them. After all, their time on this planet was already limited.
Once his revenge was complete.
Before he and his troops would return to their shuttle, which was just outside the village gates, he wanted to take a detour first. Their destination was a place Uzumaki has only ever visited once when he was still a resident in the village, and yet Vader remembered exactly where it was located. As they traversed through the various streets and neighborhoods, they began to encounter less and less villagers in the streets. The buildings around them were older and looked like they haven't been occupied in a while. After a few more minutes of walking, the environment grew quiet and still. Then finally, they found it.
The old rotting gates of the Uchiha district.
Captain Rex turned to his leader.
"My lord, why are we here exactly?"
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"This is where Itachi Uchiha slaughtered his entire clan. Along with his own parents."
Rex and his men looked at each other still not grasping Vader's intentions.
"I'm afraid we don't quite understand sir."
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"I told the Lady Hokage earlier that in order to catch our quarry, we first needed to understand and take away their goals in order to draw them to us."
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"Sasuke Uchiha wants revenge for his clan by killing his brother Itachi."
Rex nodded.
"Yes, that was in the data that was provided to us during our training and simulations. But since we already know about Sasuke Uchiha's goals, I respectfully fail to see the point of investigating the home of where his clan resided."
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"We may know Sasuke Uchiha's goals and intentions but not that of his brother."
Vader turned to Rex.
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"If we learn the reasoning behind him destroying his own clan while choosing to spare his brother before abandoning the village, then we will be able to capture him much more quickly."
The specialized clone troops were becoming even more confused as the whole purpose they thought was to wipe out the Akatsuki organization and all its members until Rex finally figured everything out.
"And if we capture him…..we can use him to lure his brother out of hiding."
Vader stretched out his gloved hand and the old doors slowly pushed open while moss and rotting wood crumbled from them.
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"Precisely."
The dark lord and his personal clone squadron then entered the Uchiha compound. Walking through the empty streets past many old homes, shops, and other buildings that were all rotting and ruined just like the entrance was. Even still, it was amazing that this place was still intact after the Sand and Sound Invasion a few years back.
While however, the district may have been abandoned and left in disrepair, the clones didn't dare let their guard down as they walked through the district with their leader. The whole place was too perfect for an ambush. It also had an eerie feeling to it which kept them even more on edge for what may come around every corner.
They explored the district for quite a while before Vader suddenly stopped. He turned his helmet toward a wall that had a repeating pattern of the Uchiha fan symbol on its surface. The former Leaf shinobi approached one of the symbols that had a crack on it and placed his hand on it.
He sensed through the Force that there was something ominous about it. Deducing that this crack was made by a kunai. And its holder had deep-seated feelings of anger, loss, guilt, and remorse. Vader turned around and noticed a house that was right across the street from him. The Darkside felt strong in there. Very strong indeed.
It had to be it.
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"Wait here."
Captain Rex nodded while he and his men established a perimeter around the front area of the house as Vader went inside.
The dark lord bent down his tall stature as he entered through the doorway. The interior was all covered with mold, dust, and cobwebs. With each step he took, the old and rotting floorboards creaked loudly underneath his heavy armored boots. There was great darkness in this home. A large mixture of everything he felt from the cracked symbol outside plus other emotions that festered around the house like old ghosts.
Feelings that were hardly unknown to the former Sith apprentice
He found a small room past a shoji that was basically devoid of all its paper covering. Upon waving his hand, the door slid on its own so that he could pass. What he found seemed to be a child's room. Only it was barren with no toys or playthings anywhere. Just academic books and scrolls. No doubt this room once belonged to Sasuke before the loss of his clan. Anyone else who would take one look at this room would think that the Uchiha was a studious youngling with a bright future in his academics and career as a shinobi.
But to the dark lord, it was very clear the boy's studious nature was not by his choice. He could feel a wanting for acceptance, recognition, and love. Along with heavy feelings of inferiority, hatred, and jealousy. He sensed that all these feelings were toward his own family members. Particularly toward one of them though that was not surprising which meant there was little to be found here.
Vader left the room and kept on searching before he found another room. This one was larger than the other one and it looked like it was stripped bare of everything inside. Someone else had gotten to it before Vader did. There was nothing in here.
At least not in the physical sense.
Vader sensed that there was a strange feeling of isolation about this room. Along with sensations of fear and distrust. These feelings confused Vader because there was no doubt that this was Itachi's room. It was far too small to belong to the parents and why else would all his belongings and everything else have been removed? It only supported the belief because either Itachi took everything after the massacre of the village before the village's authorities could find them or the authorities took everything for as a means to try to track him.
Or maybe perhaps someone did it to help cover Itachi's tracks.
What was confusing to Vader though is that if this were his room why would Itachi have any fear? Especially considering how he was capable of wiping out his whole clan single handedly in cold blood. One who would be capable of that would have nothing to be afraid of from the task.
Unless of course…
It was only a theory but one Vader knew there was one more piece needed to substantiate it. Leaving the room and continuing his search until he came upon the family living room. On the floor were too worn out chalk drawings of the bodies of Sasuke's parents from where Itachi slaughtered them.
Vader knelt down and placed his hand on the drawings. Where his mind was then overcome with intense feelings of sorrow and loss. They were not just from young Sasuke, however. No, there were also enormous feelings of guilt, heartbreak, conflict, and resolve. They had to have belonged to Itachi but his resolve was not of one to destroy the clan for the sake of ego and power.
It was to protect.
It was all beginning to make sense to Vader. Itachi didn't eliminate his own clan for selfish reasons. There was something else at play here. A desire to protect something.
Or someone.
Whatever the reason, Vader needed more information. Since it didn't seem like he would find anymore answers here, he stood up and prepared to take his leave. Before he left he heard a rustle nearby and looked over to see a black cat crawling in from the open window. The cat's fur and back raised in alarm. Vader headed the feline no mind as he left the room.
When he did the cat then lowered its back as it proceeded to hunt for some mice.
When Vader exited the house, Rex and the others stood at attention.
"Sir!"
Vader stood before the clones.
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"Something is troubling you and your men, Captain Rex."
The clone captain looked to the side before answering.
"It's probably nothing sir but…..we noticed there's something strange about this district compared to the other ones."
"And were not referring to the fact that it's old and deserted!"
Vader and Rex looked at Echo with agitation as the clone sergeant shut himself up before Rex pointed at various tall buildings that were outside the Uchiha district.
"Unlike the others, this one is completely surrounded by tall structures. Those buildings are tall enough to be perfect for surveillance for the village but the location of this district between them all makes it almost seem like-"
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"As if the Uchihas and their district were being spied upon."
Rex and the others looked at their lord.
"I've suspected it as well when we first arrived."
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"But what does it mean?"
Vader answered the hulking sergeant Hevy.
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"It means that Itachi Uchiha and the massacre of his own clan will require further investigation."
Vader and his men then proceeded on their way back to the ship. Along the way though Vader could sense that they were being watched. Likely by one of Danzo's men since he could barely sense any emotion in them whatsoever.
As soon as they exited the district and back into the busy streets of the village, the looks of fear and terror from the villagers persisted again. No one said a word as he and his men walked past them. Not even a whisper.
Suddenly a rock was thrown towards the cyborg. Vader didn't even bother using the Force as he caught the projectile with his left glove before crushing it into dust. Within that moment, the clones instantly drew their blasters toward the thrower before lowering them in confusion.
They saw what appeared to be a young genin squad. In the middle stood a young boy with brown hair that was standing straight up who was wearing a blue scarf around his neck. On both of his sides stood a girl and a boy. The girl had orange hair that was tied up into two large pigtails and had rosy cheeks. The other boy had large glasses and some snot dripping down from his nose.
The girl and boy with the glasses looked very nervous and afraid while the boy in the middle with the blue scarf pointed at them and shouted.
"I'M CALLING YOU OUT EVILDOERS! TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE MY VILLAGE AND TO NEVER COME BACK!"
The clones looked at each other before Hevy sighed.
"You've gotta be kidding me!"
Vader slowly turned to the boy who puffed up his chest to show off his bravery.
"You must be the one called Vader! I'm going to make you pay for what you did to the monument of my grandfather!"
The clones were becoming annoyed with the loudmouthed brat.
"Shouldn't you be looking for lost pets or doing someone's lawn, little genin?"
Hevy laughed at Five's statement while the boy grit his teeth while puffing out his cheeks in embarrassment.
"I'LL SHOW YOU LITTLE GENIN!"
Konohamaru charged forward much to the protests of his comrades while performing a hand sign. He then poofed into smoke which caused the clones to redraw the blasters. When the smoke cleared though the clones had but one reaction.
"WHAT THE-?!"
In the boy's place was an attractively beautiful woman with soft curves, big breasts, and luscious kissable lips. She winked at the troopers causing them to shudder. None of them ever encountered jutsu like this one in their training. It was both unprecedented and disturbing.
"This-This is just all kinds of wrong!"
Hevy shuddered in agreeance with Echo.
"You're telling me! What kind of sick freak teaches a kid this kind of jutsu?!"
The woman swayed her hips back and forth causing her big breasts to bounce around which caused the clones to feel even more disgusted.
"Come on boys. Don't be shy.~"
The clones felt even more uncomfortable and unsure how to handle this situation. That was until Vader had enough and raised his hand before twitching his finger. When he did, the sexy woman poofed back into Konohamaru again. The boy looked around confused before he was suddenly pulled into the air right into Vader's gloved grasp.
The dark lord held the boy high in his clutch much to the horror of the villagers.
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"You dare to perform that jutsu before me?!"
Vader began to squeeze his grip causing the boy to yell in pain. All the villagers were frozen in silence and in fear. Not one of them daring to interfere on the Sarutobi boy's behalf. Yet another example of the hypocrisy and cowardice of these people.
It only angered Vader further.
Suddenly the other two genin ran over to them where the clones drew their blasters but Vader held his free hand up as an order to stand down.
"I'm sorry for the rudeness of my friend! He has no manners please forgive him mister Vader, sir!"
The girl bowed profusely as did the snot nosed boy.
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They were only responded with the towering cyborg's mechanical breathing. He looked at the two before back at the boy. A few seconds passed before Vader roughly dropped Konohamaru to the ground.
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"You are very brave boy. But bravery is useless if it only serves to get you killed."
He turned his caped clad back on the children.
"If you value your life child, you will never perform that jutsu in my presence again or you will die braver than most!"
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Vader then went on his way with his clones following behind him.The villagers quietly breathed a sigh of relief. That was until Konohamaru shouted at the cyborg and his men.
"HEY! I'M NO CHILD! I'M THE FUTURE SEVENTH HOKAGE!"
Darth Vader halted in his steps while the clones were confused as they looked at each other and the boy who was being shushed by his comrades.
"Seventh Hokage? Who's going to be the Sixth?"
The Sarutobi boy pumped his fist into the air as he answered Echo's query.
"Naruto Uzumaki that's who!"
The other clones were confused while Rex recalled that name from that kunoichi they captured and turned to his superior.
"Sir, do you know who this Naruto is?"
Vader stayed silent save for his breathing apparatus. However, the normal rhythm of his breathing sounded a bit quickened. Beneath his wavering cape his fists were tightly clenching. Some of the windows of the nearby shops and homes were cracking much to the startle of the villagers.
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"Naruto Uzumaki…..was a pathetic excuse of a shinobi who died years ago."
Konohamaru's face grew shocked as did the faces of his comrades and the villagers all around them. The young boy's face started to twitch as his expression slowly turned to one of rage. He pointed at the dark lord and shouted defiantly at the top of his lungs.
"THAT'S A LIE! BIG BROTHER NARUTO COULD NEVER DIE BEFORE FULLFILLING HIS DREAM OF BECOMING HOKAGE! HE WAS MY WORTHY RIVAL AND FRIEND! WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU!?"
Vader slowly turned to the boy while his comrades were busy trying to restrain the young Sarutobi.
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"Because I was the one who killed him, young one."
The villagers around them were once again shocked and began whispering to each other as to whether or not what Vader said was true and if the Kyuubi brat really was dead. Konohamaru however only sat there shaking with tear drops dripping from his face. His kunoichi teammate tried placing a comforting hand on his shoulder until suddenly the Sarutobi boy whipped out a kunai, leapt to his feet, and began charging toward Vader!
"KONOHAMARU WAIT!"
The grandson of the late Third Hokage didn't listen to his teammate as he held his kunai up while he charged. The clones began to power up their blasters much to the horror of the villagers. However, Vader held his hand up again to stand them down thereby allowing Konohamaru to proceed with his attack.
An act which may cost the boy dearly.